Abdominal pain in children is a common digestive symptom. There are many causes of abdominal pain, so parents should have their child examined and diagnosed by a doctor before using any medication. In addition, massage techniques can be used as a complementary treatment. So where should you massage for abdominal pain in children?
Symptoms of abdominal pain in children
1. Abdominal pain caused by feeling cold: sudden onset of pain, child crying and restless; often occurs after exposure to cold or eating cold food; pain worsens in cold conditions, prefers warmth and massage; pale complexion, frequent loose stools.
2. Abdominal pain caused by overeating: bloating, child refuses to be touched on the abdomen, touching it causes more pain; belching, sour regurgitation, nausea, and vomiting; passing foul-smelling gas; pain relieved after bowel movement; crying, restless sleep.
3. Abdominal pain caused by intestinal parasitic infection: sudden onset of pain, especially around the navel, comes and goes; sometimes feel moving worms in the abdomen, intermittently; history of worm infestation, presence of roundworm eggs in stool examination; child is thin and has poor appetite, or has a craving for strange objects.
Where to massage for abdominal pain caused by feeling cold
1. Place the index finger on the middle finger and rub the point in the middle of the back of the child's wrist (Wind Pool) 100-200 times.
2. Place the index finger on the middle finger and press and rub the point between the middle and ring finger metacarpal bones on the back of the child's hand (Outer Labor Palace), using the thumb to rub it in a circular motion, 5-10 minutes.
3. Lay the child flat on their back and gently massage the child's abdomen in a clockwise direction for 5 minutes.
Where to massage for abdominal pain caused by overeating
1. Use the thumb to directly press and push the linear acupoint on the side of the child's finger (Spleen Meridian), from the base of the finger to the tip, push 100-300 times.
2. Use the thumb to directly press and push the linear acupoint on the outer side of the child's forearm, from the wrist crease to the base of the thumb (Stomach Meridian), push from the wrist to the base of the thumb, 100-300 times.
3. Use the center of the child's palm as the center point, use the thumb to push and rotate the circular acupoints around the palm (Eight Trigrams), rub and push in a circular motion, 100-300 times.
4. Close the child's four fingers together and use the thumb to directly press and push the acupoint on the palm of the child's hand, located at the crease between the first joints of the index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and little finger (Four Cross Lines), push from the index finger to the little finger, 100-150 times.
5. Use the thumb to push from the wrist crease towards the enlarged part near the base of the thumb (Gates of the Plate), rubbing and pushing at the same time, 200-300 times.
6. Use the thumb to directly press and push the linear acupoint on the radial side of the child's index finger, at the junction between the red and white flesh, from the base of the finger to the tip (Large Intestine Meridian), push from the tiger's mouth to the fingertip, 300-400 times.
Where to massage for abdominal pain caused by intestinal parasitic infection
1. Place the index finger on the middle finger and rub the point in the middle of the back of the child's wrist (Wind Pool) 100-300 times.
2. Place the index finger on the middle finger and press and rub the point between the middle and ring finger metacarpal bones on the back of the child's hand (Outer Labor Palace), using the thumb to rub it in a circular motion, 5-10 minutes.
3. Use the thumb or index and middle fingers to directly press and push the linear acupoint on the radial side of the child's forearm (Thumb Side), from the wrist crease to the elbow crease in a straight line (Three Gates), push from the wrist to the elbow, 100-200 times.
4. Lay the child flat on their back and gently massage the child's abdomen in a clockwise direction for 5 minutes.
5. Lay the child flat on their back and use the fingertip or the base of the palm to rotate and rub the navel area, about 100-300 times.
6. For severe pain, have the child lie prone, and the massage therapist uses both thumbs to press and rub the acupoint on the side of the 10th-11th thoracic vertebrae on the child's back (Gallbladder Shu) and the acupoint on the side of the 11th-12th thoracic vertebrae (Spleen Shu), each for 5 minutes.
Daily care for abdominal pain in children
1. Avoid letting the child overeat or eat excessively cold fruits and vegetables.
2. Pay attention to keeping the child's abdomen warm and protected from wind and cold.
3. If the child shows signs of abdominal pain, seek medical diagnosis early to prevent worsening of the condition.
4. For abdominal pain caused by roundworm infection, deworming should be done promptly after the pain subsides.
